Tell Me Why You Weep
by Brilliant Brunette Beauty
Summary: "I-I started to cry... And then Luca figured out what had upset me and started to get all angry and belted Lord Foraboschi." - Waterfall, chapter 25


If that wound didn't kill Gabi, then _I_ would. Seriously.

Day one of the feast was awful, and because of that freshly cauterized cut on Gabi's side, I had to face it alone. The entire thing felt like a big interrogation. I had to juggle all of our lies without my sister there to handle the conversation for me. If I hadn't been able to deflect that guy who wanted to know more about our lives in "Normandy", Gabs and I would have been done for. I was just trying to keep us from being labelled witches or something crazy like that.

And I _really_ didn't wanna find out what they did to witches in 1342.

All I wanted to do was get to that tomb and get back home to Mom. And the conveniences of the 21st century. God, how was it that the thing I was missing most was toilets? This chamber pot business was just plain gross. I even missed the cramped little bathroom in our tiny apartment by the dig site. I missed fighting with Gabi over who got to use it first in the mornings. I missed the rusty faucet that took some tugging to make it turn on.

I was never going to take any of that for granted anymore.

When there was a lapse in the feast activities, I took the opportunity to make my escape. If anyone asked, I would just tell them I wanted to check on my sister. Luckily, no one noticed me leaving. Except maybe Luca.

That boy had been following me around like a lost puppy since I came here.

I started my trek down the corridors of Castello Forelli, mindful of where I was going. The place was enormous and I had only been there for a few days. I barely knew how to get from my room to the dining hall, much less from the courtyard to Gabi's room.

"Lady Evangelia!"

I turned on my heels - or, the best I could in this giant gown.

It was Lord Foraboschi.

I had felt him staring holes into my head throughout the entire feast. He didn't like me much, I could tell. Maybe he knew I wasn't who I said I was. Or maybe he just didn't like the idea of a woman wielding a bow and arrows. Whatever it was, he was a raging 10 on my "Creep-o-meter", as Gabs would say.

Still, I smiled politely.

"Lord Foraboschi, I beg your pardon, but I was on my way to check on my sister. I presume you know of her wounds."

He smiled back at me, but nothing about it seemed kind or polite.

"Yes, we were all made aware of the wound she courageously suffered during battle," he drawled, his voice a little too sweet for my liking. "As well were we made aware of your skills with a bow, m'lady."

My skin crawled hearing him address me as "m'lady", but I just gave him a nod and continued to fake a smile. The last thing I needed was to make enemies right when I was so close to getting out of here.

"You are too kind, Lord Foraboschi. I merely did what any woman would have done to protect her sister. It is nothing to marvel at."

He snorted at my words.

"That is what I wonder, m'lady," he confessed. "Tongues wag about your skills, but I have yet to see any evidence to prove them correct."

What did this guy want? A demonstration? Because I was more than willing to give him one… If he was willing to be my target.

"I suppose you will find out when we compete later this night, Sir," I replied. I hoped he noticed me not addressing him by his full title. I didn't feel like he deserved such politeness out of me.

He took a step forward, far too close for my liking, and leaned down beside my ear. I resisted the strong urge to punch him square between the eyes. That certainly wouldn't fly by well for me. He was much bigger than me and I didn't have my bow on me.

He whispered, his vile breath tickling my ear,

"Mayhap the wind altered the course of your arrows and brought you to an accidental victory that night at Castello Paratore? A woman with a true aim… It is unheard of."

I froze in my spot, torn between anger and horror. Anger that he would suggest that I couldn't actually hit a target, and horror at the reminder of what I did.

Gabi was right; I was going to have to talk about it _eventually_. I just didn't want to confront the reality of what I had done, but Lord Foraboschi forced it back to the forefront of my mind. I killed people. Paratore knights, men who probably had wives and children waiting for them back home. My arrows were what made sure their loved ones would never see them again. No matter how hard I tried to forget that night, I would never forget the blood spurting out of their necks when my arrows hit their target…

"Lady Evangelia?"

I looked up, my blue eyes locking on green.

I was so caught up in the memory that I didn't notice Lord Foraboschi walk away and Luca approach. It was like I was back in the middle of the battle, far away from the safe walls of Castello Forelli.

When I got home, I was going to need a _lot_ of therapy.

Luca's expressive green eyes widened in concern, and he gently lifted a knuckle to tilt my chin up. I couldn't help the warmth I felt spreading across my face at his touch.

So no, I hadn't gone and fallen for a 14th century guy like Gabi had, but I couldn't deny that Luca's attention felt nice. And he was cute. And funny. And totally my type.

Besides the fact that he was born 700 plus years before me.

"Lady Evangelia, tell me why you weep."

I brought a hand up to my cheek and sure enough, it came away wet. I cursed myself for being such a crybaby. Gabi was always the strong one out of the two of us. Unfortunately, I inherited our dad's weepy nature. It didn't take much to make me cry.

I let out a watery laugh and wiped the tears away.

"Forgive me, Sir Luca, I did not wish for you to see me showing such weakness," I stated honestly.

His lips quirked up into a slight smile despite his obvious concern. I tried not to notice the fact that his knuckle was still underneath my chin.

"Nay, m'lady, do not feel the need to apologize. You are as radiant as ever, even when you cry."

I grinned back at him and he finally let his hand drop from my face.

"But I implore you, tell me what made you so upset. I will do everything in my power to make it better again."

The last thing I wanted to do was to cause any trouble in the castello, or make it seem like I couldn't defend myself. I was already imagining how badly I would beat Foraboschi during our little "friendly" competition later that day.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Foraboschi still within eyeshot, talking to another Forelli knight. I hated the way he carried himself; like he was someone important and not a second rate archer that I was totally going to _destroy_ later. He reminded me of Dr. Manero in a way. Both walked and talked like they were God's gift to humanity instead of the talentless hacks they really were.

I couldn't wait to be 700 years away from him.

When I turned back to Luca, his jaw was clenched in anger. I was momentarily stunned, wondering what I did to incur his wrath, when I noticed his eyes weren't on me. They were on Foraboschi, and they were blazing with fury.

"Sir Luca…?"

"It was Lord Foraboschi."

It was a statement, not a question.

I saw no way out but to tell him the truth. I nodded my head.

He turned back to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. Even through the heavy material of my gown, I could feel the warmth from his palms.

"What did he say to you?" he demanded.

I looked down at my slippers, my cheeks heating up. I wasn't used to such intense attention or concern from a guy. The only members of the opposite sex I ever encountered on a dig site were Mom and Dad's colleagues. Not exactly boyfriend material.

But Luca, he was _definitely_ boyfriend material.

 _No, Lia, you're going home. Back to your own time. Stop thinking those thoughts._

"He suggested that… mayhap, my success with a bow the night we took Castello Paratore were merely a result of the wind and luck working in my favor, not skill."

I cursed the way my voice dropped off when I mentioned Castello Paratore and hoped Luca didn't notice. But from the way his face hardened, I could tell he did. We both knew I wasn't upset because Foraboschi insulted my talent; after all, I had an opportunity to prove him wrong soon.

I was upset at the cruel reminder of what I had been through.

Luca stormed past me, his eyes locked on Lord Foraboschi. I called after him, but he didn't even spare me a glance. He was a man on a mission. I groaned.

It was nice to know guys in this era were as overtly-angry-and-macho as guys in the 21st century.

"Lord Foraboschi!" Luca called.

The man in question turned around to face him.

"What is it that troubles you, Sir Luca?"

He was grinning broadly, as if he was a kid who had just gotten away with stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar. In that moment, I would have gladly given up going back to my own time if it meant I got to punch that stupid grin right off his face.

But I didn't have to

Because Luca did it for me.

I gasped as I watched Luca punch Lord Foraboschi right in the face with all his might, sending the thin man flying backwards onto the floor. The other knight who was talking to Foraboschi beforehand did nothing but stare at the scene before him. I couldn't blame him, really. Luca was the Captain of the knights. I wouldn't know what to do if I saw my boss deck someone right in front of me.

"Luca!" I shouted, rushing over to him. It vaguely occurred to me that I had forgotten to call him "sir", but I didn't think he would mind.

Before he could go in to pick him up and punch him a second time, I grabbed onto his arm and pulled him back.

"Enough! I am sure Lord Foraboschi has learned his lesson. There is no need for further violence."

It took a few seconds, but Luca eventually relaxed in my hold and lowered his arm. I tried to pretend I didn't notice the back of his hand brushing up against mine, or the fact that I couldn't seem to let go of his arm even now that the danger had passed. If I just moved my hand a _tiny_ bit, our fingers would intertwine…

Okay, just because I couldn't stay in this time didn't mean I couldn't enjoy the time I had left here.

Lord Foraboschi hauled himself off the floor, swaying slightly as he stood. The spot right under his eye where Luca had punched him was already starting to swell up. That would leave a nasty bruise for days to come. The thought of him walking around with physical evidence that he was overpowered made me smile just a bit.

He scowled at Luca and started towards him.

"Your battles with Paratore's men will pale in comparison to what I will do to you, Forelli-,"

The knight beside us finally snapped out of his daze and grabbed Foraboschi, pushing him back by his chest.

"You forget yourself, sir," he said lowly. The message was clear:

 _You are a guest here, and if you start a fight with the Captain of the knights, that will no longer be the case._

Foraboschi tore himself away from the knight with an angry huff and marched away, but not before throwing Luca one last dirty look.

I doubted he was actually going to go after Luca. He was a vile man, but not an idiot. He must have known that he wasn't going to get away with it when one of Luca's own knights was standing right there. No, he probably just didn't want to seem like a coward.

Again with these idiotic behaviors that men from all eras seemed to exhibit.

Luca gently extracted his arm from my grasp and placed it around my shoulders. He then nodded to his knight, a clear sign of dismissal. The knight nodded back at him, a little knowing grin on his face, and left us alone in the spacious corridor.

I should have pushed his arm off of me in that moment. I should have resisted his charms and stayed steadfast to my resolve not to develop a crush in this time like Gabs had. But I liked the feel of his embrace a little _too_ much to pass it up.

It's not like I was going to want to stay here just because a hot guy was showing me some attention. Not like Gabi.

I gave him a glare.

"I am fully capable of fighting my own battles, Sir Luca."

He gave me a sheepish smile that melted my annoyance just _slightly_. Or entirely.

"Nay, She-Wolf, I know you can defend yourself," he admitted. "I fear it was my own anger that got the better of me. I could not stand to see sadness on your beautiful face, and I hate Lord Foraboschi for being the cause of your tears."

I blushed again, looking down at my feet. Luca Forelli was quite the charmer.

When I refused to look him in the eyes, he turned me around in his arms so we were face to face. The jovial glint in his eyes was gone. I could see nothing but worry and maybe a tinge of sadness in his face.

"Lady Evangelia… You must know that what you did at Castello Paratore was entirely necessary. Not only to save your own life, but that of your sister's. And Lord Marcello's. And _mine_."

I nodded robotically. That was what I had been telling myself since the day before. It was in self-defense. If I hadn't killed those men, they would have killed me. As it was, they had already almost killed Gabi. It was easy to tell myself all this. But when I thought back to that night, thought about my arrows going through their bodies…

It was harder to actually believe it.

Luca must not have been reassured by my nod of assent, because the next thing I knew, I was wrapped up his arms in a fierce hug. And I couldn't deny it felt good.

He had held me once before, when Gabi was getting her stitches out. He pressed me against his chest to shield me from seeing my sister in excruciating pain. Then, I was too distracted by my distress to really enjoy our position. Now, I was enjoying it to the fullest.

He was warm. And solid, but soft in the way he held me. His height meant my face was pressed up against his chest. I turned my head over slightly and heard his heart beating soothingly in his chest.

I felt _safe_.

"You are a remarkable woman, Lady Evangelina. And I am sure you will recover from this. As sure as I am the most handsome of all the Forelli knights."

I laughed at his joke, but secretly agreed with it. With his sand colored hair and his bright green eyes, always alight with laughter, he stood out as the best looking knight by far. Maybe even the best looking Forelli.

 _Sorry, Gabs._

Luca pulled away slightly to look at my face. He returned my smile and gently pushed away a strand of my hair that had fallen out of its tight coil.

"You are beautiful when you cry," he said. "But you are absolutely blinding when you smile. I fear that smile has already stolen my heart."

That was when I snapped out of it.

I wasn't about to get my emotions all mixed up like Gabi had. The last thing I needed was to fall for a guy centuries out of my league. No thank you.

I backed out of his embrace, no matter how much I ached to dive back in. This was for the best.

"I do not wish for you to be accused of acting in an unseemly manner," I told him, using the first excuse I could think of.

He seemed to remember himself and took a small step back from me. One thing I had learned in this era was that beyond a few kisses on the hand, PDA was strictly off limits. And for an unmarried couple? It was downright sacrilege.

"I'm terribly sorry, Lady Evangelia, I did not mean to—,"

"Evangelia," I interrupted.

"What?"

"Evangelia," I repeated. "I want you to call me Evangelia. If I have truly stolen your heart, then you should have little difficulty calling me by first name only."

 _Where did that come from, Lia?_

A large smile spread across his face. Like the huge, 100 watt, almost-too-big-for-his-face kind of smile. You would have thought I just told him I wanted to get married that very night.

"Very well, _Evangelina_ ," he whispered. "If I'm dropping "Lady", then you must drop "Sir". Please, call me Luca."

I smiled back at him.

"Very well, _Luca_ ," I said, echoing his words. "I shall see you at the games?"

He caught my hand and dropped a gentle kiss on my knuckles. Just like that night at Castello Paratore, it made my breath catch in my throat.

"I would not miss it for all the gold in Siena… _Evangelia_."

I gave him a small smile and slipped my hand out of his grasp. Without another word, I turned and once again started my journey to Gabi's room. For once, I was immensely grateful for how long it took to get to her chambers.

This blush on my face needed to wear off before Gabi saw it.


End file.
